Wire-stretcher



W. S. GRAHAM.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION HLED FEB-19,1916.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

w'umatoz WILLIAM snnn vran GRAHAM, or UKIAI-I, CALIFORNIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed February 19, 1916. Serial No. 79,390.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM S. GRAHAM,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Ukiah, in the county of Mendocino and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wirethis general character having novel and i1nproved means whereby the same may be readily secured in applied position, and whereby the requisite strain may be imposed upon a wire in order to tighten the same.

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character having novel and improved means whereby the wire being tightened is held against retrograde movement during the period a second grip is being had upon the wire to continue the tightening operation.

The invention consistsin the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved stretcher whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed 'to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a wire stretcher constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention in applied po sition, a coacting post being in section; Fig. 2 is an elevational view with parts in section of the plate herein included with one of the coacting levers; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the second coacting lever and arm em- I ployed in connection with the plate; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the holding pawl herein disclosed.

As disclosed. in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes an elongated plate of predetermlned configuration but preferably rectangular which is adapted to be disposed transversely of a post, and said plate is provided ad ac ent one end with an outstanding block 2 having in its outer face the vertically spaced recesses 3 intersected by the bolt 4 and also provided with the knife edge 2 adapted to penetrate a post to facilitate the coaction of the device with said post. Secured to the bolt 4 at a point within the uppermost recess, is an extremity of the fiexible member 5 herein disclosed as a link chain having its outer extremity provided with a hook member 6 having a sharpened extremity 7. The member 6 is adapted to be extended around a post and the plate 1 suitably moved as to cause the sharpened end 7 of the hook 6 to penetrate the post in order to assist in maintaining the plate 1 in applied position.

The end of the plate 1 remote from the block 2 is also provided with the vertically d sposed recesses 8 intersected by the pin 9, and engaged with said pin 9 within one of the recesses 8 is an extremity of the flexible member 10, also preferably a link chain, and this member is adapted to be extended around the post and suitably engaged with the hook or catch 11 pivotally mounted upon the face of the plate 1 opposite to that from which the block 2 projects. It will be perceived that through the medium of the flexiblc members 5 and 10, the plate 1 may be effectively secured to a post.

Within the lowermost recess 2 extends a perforate ear 12 formed on the inner end of a lever 14L, the bolt 1 hereinbefore referred to being directed through said ear 12 whereby the lever 14 is pivotally engaged with the block 2 of the plate 1, and said pivoted end of the lever 14 is also provided with an extension 15 adapted to overlie an edge of a side wall of the plate 1 and is provided with the perforationlG adapted to register with a recess 17 formed in said side or edge wall of the plate 1 and said perforation 16 and recess 17 when in register is adapted to accommodate the pin 18 whereby the lever 14: is held against pivotal movement relative to the plate 1. As herein embodied, the pin The pivoted end portion of the lever 14.

is bifurcated and within "the kerf thereof is pivotally mounted the spring-pressed holding pawl 20 adaptedto coact with 'thewire to be stretched in a manner to be hereinafter more particularly referred to. It will be understood that the lever 14 is held against pivotal movement relative to the plate 1 when the pointed extremity 7 of the hook member 6 is caused to'engage the post, as said lever 14 is employed to impart the req-v uisite movement to the plate 1.

Extending from the plate 1 in a direction opposite to that of the block 2 and adjacent an end of the plate remote from the block 2, is the lug 21 with which is pivotally engaged as at 22, the arm 23 having its outer end provided with the upstanding block 24:, and the outer extremity of said arm 23 has pivotally engaged therewith, as at 25, the lever 26, the inner end of said lever affording a jaw adapted to coact with the adjacent end of the arm 23 and the block 24 to effectively clamp a wire therebetween when the lever 26 is pulled in one direction and in order to impose the requisite strain upon a wire to properly stretch the same.

As herein disclosed, the pivotalconnection 25 is afforded by a perforate ear 27 carried by the inner end of the lever 26 and extending within arecess 28 produced in the adjacent end of the arm 23 at one side thereof and through which the pivoted member 25 is disposed. By this arrangement it will be perceived that the relative separating movement between the lever 26 and the arm 23 is limited in order that the operation of the device may be facilitated. It is also to be noted that the arm 23 is of such a length as to have its outer end substantially in alinement with the adjacent end of the plate 1 so that the wire will be maintained substantially in a straight line during the stretching operation, and it-will be noted that the pawl 20 is free to move in a direction toward the arm 23 during the stretching operation so that the wire may be drawn therethrough,

I but when the lever 26 and the arm 23 are moved inwardly in order to obtain a new grip upon the wire, the pawl 20 will automatically grip, in connection with the adj acent end of the plate 1, the wire in order to T hold the wire against retrograde movement.

the adjacent ends of the lever Hand the a plate 1, whereupon the extension 15 is then again locked to the plate. It will be perceived that the extension 15 also serves to prevent the wire from being accidentally displaced as does also the perforate ear 12.

the endwise adjustable plate 29, and said' plate 29.is of such a length as to overlie the adjacent end of the lever 26 irrespective of its swinging adjustment relative to the arm 23. t

In the event the wire to be stretched is of such a character as not to be automatically gripped by the pawl 20, I provide the lever 14 with the turn button 30 which may be readily adjustedto overlie the pawl 20 and hold the same against pivotal movement and also remove the pin 18 so that the lever 14 is capable of pivotal movement. It will be understood that when the pawl 20. is held against pivotal movement that pressure applied on the lever 14 to properly hold the: wire during theperiod the lever 26 and the arm 23 are being returned to obtain a new grip upon the wire.

From the foregoing description, it is thoughtto be obvious that a stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention isof an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice.

I claim: e 1. A wire stretcher including a plate, a lever pivotally engaged with one end portionof the plate, a holding pawl carried by the lever and coacting with the adjacent end of the plate, said lever being provided with an extension adapted to overlie a side wall of the plate, and means coacting with the extension and the platefor holding the lever against movement independently of the plate. 7

2. A wire stretcher including a plate, a

lever pivota-lly engaged with one end portion of the plate, a holding pawl carried by the plate and coacting with the adjacent end 7 of the plate, and a turn button carried by. the lever and coacting with the pawl to lock said pawl against movement in one direction. I V

3. A wire stretcher comprising a'plate, an arm pivotally engaged with the plate, a

lever pivotally' engaged with the outer exswinging adjustment of the lever relative to tremity of the arm, the adjacent ends of the the arm. 10 lever and arm coacting to afford clamping In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my jaws, and an endwise movable member carsignature in the presence of two witnesses.

riecl by the arm and adapted to overlie the WILLIAM SHERMAN GRAHAM. adjacent end of the lever, said movable mem- Witnesses:

her being of such a length as to overlie the MAURICE GRAY,

adjacent end of the lever irrespective of the HUGE Cox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

